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Module 1.6c



                                                                                                                  Figure   1.6-19
                      Decibels  140      Rock band (amplified)  Prolonged
                                         at close range   exposure                                        The intensity of some
                             130                          above 85                                      common sounds
                                                          decibels                                      One study found 3 million
                             120         Loud thunder     produces
                                                          hearing                                       professional musicians had
                             110         Jet plane at 500 feet  loss.                                   almost four times the normal
                                                                                                        rate of noise-induced hearing
                             100         Subway train at 20 feet                                        loss (Schink et al., 2014).
                              90                                                                        Noise-blocking earpieces and
                                                                                                        headphones reduce the need
                              80         Busy street                                                    to blast the music at dangerous
                                         corner
                              70                                                                 sebra/Shutterstock  volumes.
                                 Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Not for redistribution.
                              60         Normal
                                         conversation
                              50
                              40
                                           Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
                              30
                              20         Whisper
                              10
                               0         Threshold of hearing




                      the cochlea’s nerves, convey sound
                      information  to  the  brain  (National        Transmitter                                   Figure   1.6-20
                      Institute on Deafness and Other Com-                                                Hardware for hearing
                                                      ;
                      munication  Disorders  [ NIDCD], 2021                 Receiver/stimulator         Cochlear implants work by
                                                                                                        translating sounds into electrical
                      Figure 1.6-20 ).  When  given  to  deaf                                           signals that are transmitted to the


                      kittens and human infants, cochlear                                               cochlea and then, via the auditory
                      implants  have  seemed to trigger an                                              nerve, relayed to the brain.
                      “awakening” of the pertinent brain
                      area (Klinke et al., 1999;  Sireteanu,                           Electrode
                      1999 ). These devices can help children
                      become proficient in oral communi-
                      cation, especially if they receive them
                      as preschoolers or ideally before age 1
                      ( Dettman  et  al.,  2007 ;   Schorr  et  al.,

                      2005 ). Hearing, like vision, has a  critical
                      period.  Cochlear implants can help
                      restore hearing for most adults, but
                      only if their brain learned to process   Speech processor
                      sound during childhood. The restored
                      hearing can also reduce social iso-
                      lation and the risk of depression
                      ( Mosnier et al., 2015 ).

                                    Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

                                    1.6-11         How do we detect loudness, discriminate pitch, and locate sounds?
                                    1.6-11   How do we detect loudness, discriminate pitch, and locate sounds?

                        We’ve discussed the mechanics of hearing. But how do we experience the  variety   of
                      sounds — loud and soft, high and low — that help us navigate our world? And how do we
                      know where these sounds are coming from?


                                                                                            Sensation: Hearing  Module 1.6c   139






          03_myersAPpsychology4e_28116_ch01_002_163.indd   139                                                                  15/12/23   9:26 AM
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